Safety tower



P 1931 J. A. BROWN 1,821,376

SAFETY TOWER Filed March 14, 1930 4 Sheets-sheaf 1 I FIG 1 Jwucmtoz Jomv 6.15/2 0 w/v J. A. BROWN Sept. 1, 1931.

SAFETY TOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1930 Fic. 3

Jon/y 6. BROWN Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES orrics JOHN A. BROWN, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA SAFETY 'rownit Application'filed'llarch 14, use; serial at. 435,772.-

Thisinvention relates to safety towers deinstitution in which the tower is located will be visible to the occupant of the tower.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of suitable port openings at convenient points within the tower through which fire arms may be projected and fired without subjecting the guard to a return fire.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of suitable callbells,'al'arms', telephones and the like and in convenient reach of the occupant of the tower.

A further feature of the invention is in elevating the guard room and provide convenient and protected means forgaining'am cess'to the protected portion of the tower.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for utilizing the lower portion of the tower as a cloak or storage In the accompanying drawings which are made a partof this application, I

a Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the interior of a banking institution with the safety tower therein. j

Figure 9) is a front elevation of the tower.

Figure 3 is a sectional view as seen along.

l ine3 3, Fig.- 4. a

Figure 4 is a vertical'vsectional view of the tower as seen along line 4 4,- Fig. 3, and,

Figure 5'is a'horizontal sectional View as seen along line 5"5, Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views",

the numeral 1 designates the toweras a whole, the interior of which is provided with an upper compartment 2 andlower compartment 8, which compartments are divided by a suitable bullet proof floor 4, preferably of steel. 4

A portioir of the front wall of the com partm'ent 2 is also bullet proof and is preferably constructed of panels of steel 5 or other suitable" substances impervious to bullets from the ordinary firearm and these panels are arranged at suitable angles so that a' View of any portion of the interior of a banking institution vorroom may be had through the various port openings or visual spaces 6.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the tower 1 is so placed within the room 7 of a building, in this example a banking institution,- that the front door 8, the various cages 9 and the vault 10' may be viewed by the occupant of the tower through the various port openings 6, so that the entire room is under observation and control of the watchman ata'll times.

The extreme upper panels 11 of the coin-- partment 2- a'nd the panels- 12 forming the wall of the lower compartment 3, may be con-- s'tru'cted of wood or other suitable material. the" panels 11' preferably having ventilating openings 13 therethrough, these openin s being placed above the height ofth'e average man, to avoid exposing any part of the occupant of the compartment 2. Entrance to the compartment 3 is gained through a door 14, which is provided with a spring latch 15, so that it will require a key to fit the look before the door can be opened to gain access to the lower compartment. Access is gained to the compartment 2 from the compartment 3, through an opening 16 in the floor 4, by means of a stairway 17 and said opening 16 is protected and normally closed by means of a trap door 18, one end of which is hinged to the floor 4, so that it may be swung upwardly to uncover the opening 16. Any suitable locking means, such as a manual lock 19, may be provided for locking the trap door 18 in closed position and in the event access to the compartment 3 should be gained by an enemy, a port opening 20 is formed through the trap door so that the occupant of. the compartment could readily discern and fire upon any one ascending the stairway 17, the port 20 being normally closed by a cover plate 21. I

The compartment 2 is preferably so equipped, that the attendant will not be required to leave the compartment for any purpose while on duty and to this end a table or desk 22 is located at any suitable point within the compartment, also a commode 23, lavatory '24 and closet 25. To properly guard the bank against burglars or others,

the attendant'is provided with suitable lire arms, they being supported in a rack 26 above which is preferably'placed a shelf 27, or the like for supporting ammunition in convenient reach of the attendant. At suitable points on the wall of the compartment 2 are placed suit-able signalling mechanisms, such as a house phone 28, a police call 29, and the conventional call box 30, together with a switch 31 for controlling the light 32. The compartment 2 may also be provided with a suitable search light 33, which may be extended through any one of the openings 13, so that the interior of the bank may be subjected to a strong light;

In order to utilize the otherwise waste space occupied by the compartment 3, suitable racks 34are placed around the walls of the compartment for the reception of garments, thus converting the compartment 3 into a closet for the reception of the Wraps of the employees of the institution, and the compartment 2 may be used as a work room for certain of the employees, by placing additional desks or tables in the compartment 2, and these attendants may act as guards as well as perform their usual dutiesv as clerks.

The light 35 for the compartment 3, may be controlled from a switch 36, exteriorly of the tower, or by a switch 37 in the compartment 2, the switches being ofthe three-way variety, so that the light'may be turned on from one i switch and extinguished from the other and vice verse, by which arrangement the compartment 3 may be illuminated before the attendant enters the same and passes through the same, either way.

With this form of device it will be seen that it will be practically impossible to rob a banking or other institution as the guard will be in position to detect and fire upon any person, at whatever point he or they may be within the room in Which the tower is located.

It will likewise be seen that the tower, OW- ing to its simplicity, may be manufactured and installed at a reasonable cost, and furthermore, the space occupied by the tower -may beconveniently utilized for the storage of wraps and other articles, so that this space will not be entirely given over to protection.

Above one of the port holes 6 is a window 38 constructed of bullet proof glass so that the guard within thetower may safely scrutinize, the actionscof holdup men before firingthrough the port hole 6. By this arrangement, it will be possible to ascertain the location of a bandit by first peering through the window 38 and then taking aim in shootingthrough the port holes.

it will be understood that the tower as a whole is somewhat portable and) ma be moved to different parts of the building the same as a heavy piece of furniture.

While the description and drawings illustrate in a general way certain instrumentalities which may be employed in carrying the invention into effect, it is evident that many modifications maybe made in the various details without departing from the scope of the appended claims, it being understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular examples herein described. 7

What I claim is: I

1. In a safety tower for the interior of a building, an upper and a lower compartment, a bullet proof floor separating said compartments, said-floor having an entrance opening therethrough, a trap door for closing said opening, said trap door having a port therethrough, means for covering said port, a stairway enclosed within said lower compartment and leading to said floor opening, a door opening by means of which entrance is gained to said upper compartment solely through said lower compartment into said lower compartment forming the sole means for gaining access to said lower compartment from the interor of the building, and means for converting said lower compartment into a clothes closet.

2. In a safety tower adapted to be located in the room of a building, a tower proper adapted to be placed against one wall of the room in a manner that all parts of the room and objects therein will be in the range of vision from said tower, an upper and a lower compartment in said tower, a bullet proof floor dividing said compartments, a plurality of bullet proof panels forming the Wall of the upper compartment having visual open- 

